Workmen's advocate., 1887-03-19
CHEAP N0TORIETY.
COMMERCIAL UTILIZATION OF
 LABOR'S FORCES.
Very Questionable Disinterestedness. Watching Apparent Tri,ialitieS. indiyidualistic Leaders.
 "iour Man" - Not
 His Men"

Much has been said, and in many instances with weIl-based grounds for criticism, concerning the ques- tionable disintorcstedness of many of the so-called "1abor leaders" of the day. It is a favorite argument among the capitalist editors, that every man who has obtained more or less of prominence or notorletv in labor circles, has entered the moye- ment for the sole purpose of making what he can out of it." {. c.. of utl- Izing the workers, by some method or other, to his own personal or pe- cuniary advantage.
 While 1t is but natural that such arguments should be put forward by our opponents, and while we may confidently expect for he future that all men prominent in the labor movement will be denounced AS schemers, it will nevertheless be we'll for the working people to have an eye to the many apparently triv- ial circumstances which indicate the real bent or turn of a mans mind. Upon the appearance of new can- didate for proletarian honors, the first question which we should ask ourselves, is; Has he anything to lose by his connection with a des- pissed and persecuted cause; or has he on the contrary everything to gain by the newly acquired connec- tion? Having mentally answered these questions to our own satisfac- tion we may safely rest for 8 moment upon our arms. But only for mo- ment, Future developments should be carefully watched and considered.
 However, the position of ''labor champon' does not furnish the op- portunltles for pecuniary profit to such an extent as is popuIarly sup posed. It is only those who have sprung at a bound to sudden noto- riety who are enabled to any extent to profit by the position acquired: from the more humble agitators a constant succession of sacrifices is required, by which, in many cases, the more notorious individuals benc- fit.
 The fact that there are cases in which the traditional gullibllity of the wage workers is manipulated to subaerve personal ends is depIorabIe, but 1t must nevertheless be admitted as a fact. And there are many ways ir which popularity may be utilized. Among those methods of deriving something from nothing, or for nothing, may be mentioned the drawing of enormous salaries without an equivalent in services being rendered; political preferment, commercial utilization of labor's forces, and in some instances. fortu- nately rare, a combination of pollti- cal preferment and commercial util- izatlon. How long these conditions will continue to exist in labor circles depends entirely upon the length of time which must elapse before the laborer will begin to think for him self. When the "horny handed son of toiI" arrives at the point where he will cease to shout for an alleged champion because his neXt door neighbor shouts for him, we may hope for some actual progress in the labor movement. Not be- fore. When the Iaborer has SD far advanced as to be able to determine q person or thing right or wrong, independently of surrounding cir cumstances or position, and obliyi- Ous of populor clam0r, We may an ticipate beneficial results. Before that tlme-nothlng.